We are in the midst of a fourth industrial revolution: a time of great technological and ethical change. This revolution has been triggered in part by the discovery of a mechanism to edit the genomes of almost any organism. Should we select children with blue eyes? Or make people who are immune to HIV? And what about increasing the nutritional qualities or drought tolerance of fruit or grains? Although human communities have been selecting organisms with desirable traits for thousands of years - from wild corn cobs to daschunds, we now have the capacity to make these changes with unprecedented speed and accuracy. In this unit, you will explore humanity's position of power over our genes, demystify technologies and understand the range of possibilities that exist. You will examine public understanding and perception of gene editing and engage with experts to dissect the technical and ethical considerations associated with the field. You will consider, appreciate and communicate the questions of whether, why and when we should embark on programs of genome engineering - and when we perhaps shouldn't.
Unit details and rules
Unit code | OLET2634 |
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Academic unit | Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations |
Credit points | 2 |
Prohibitions
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None |
Prerequisites
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None |
Corequisites
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None |
Assumed knowledge
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None |
Available to study abroad and exchange students | Yes |
Teaching staff
Coordinator | Joel Mackay, joel.mackay@sydney.edu.au |
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